


Sir John & the Tuunbaq

by Traveling_Song



Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, Crack, Gen, Humor, Silly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-27 05:22:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21386788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Traveling_Song/pseuds/Traveling_Song
Summary: Sir John’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day may not be so bad after all in this crack divergent AU where bear befriends man. A silly story that originated from an iPhone autocorrect note, with a few feels/angst moments too.
Kudos: 8





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: This is purely crack and fiction, loosely based on the AMC TV show the Terror S1 with anecdotes from history. Again, this is a boatload of silliness and shenanigans involving a more bear-like Tuunbaq ahead! Enjoy.
> 
> Author’s Note: In my story, the Tuunbaq appears more like the extinct prehistoric “Short-Faced bear”, ancient, battle-worn, and ferocious, but still a little cuddlier.
> 
> Author’s Note 2: The whole concept of this came from an autocorrect typo that will be revealed in Chapter 3.
> 
> Author’s Note 3: This was originally going to be a one-shot, but now since coming up with the prologue and the more crack ideas I have in store, this will be multi-chapter!

Today was no ordinary Friday, June 11 in the year 1847.

I was certain today would be a minor victory amidst the setback of the ships being beset in ice. Granted, that would be expected. After all, Sir John Ross was trapped in the ice for four years before breaking free.

Today was _supposed _to be a triumphant hunt of a great white bear. Not much different other bears encountered in these lands since ages past.

But no. The hunter, alas, became the hunted. Now here I am, headfirst in a fire hole - without a leg to stand on I suppose you could say.

The polar bear clearly now is no ordinary polar bear - rather some gargantuan prehistoric case of island gigantism that makes an ordinary bear dwarfed to appear to be its cub. And I could see stand above me at the surface, bemusingly staring down at me with its black eyes and scarred nose. I don’t know whether to be more aghast or more angered.

Cursed bear. Not only did you separate me from my crew, but you also flung me down into the crevice where earlier we — ... dear. I do feel a strong sense of regret now, looking back. Is it a coincidence this bear is hurling me to what could very well be my own demise into this same place that the Inuit woman’s deceased father unceremoniously was? I think not.

Stranger yet, I feel as though the bear can understand my very thoughts and rants, as it doesn’t seem to cease staring at me, almost mockingly. Is that so, vile creature? How much longer will you enjoy the triumph of your victory and revenge?

Funny how the last fleeting seconds of my life seem to be at a standstill. I am horrified, admittedly fearful, regretful of every mistake I’ve ever made, had a moment of self-pity & longing for home, my wife Janie, daughter Eleanor, and niece Sophy, and now, apathetically disgruntled to the sudden end of this all. Exiting this while perused by a prehistoric bear was not how I envisioned my end. Certainly not the Franklin way!

Alas, perhaps I was proved wrong. This is starting to look grizzly now. Any moment now if that bear keeps toying with the rope holding this coal pot any longer it’s going to snap — too late!

Into the sunless sea of the icy arctic waters. This is the end.

...

... ...

And yet, suddenly it is not.

In a fractional moment in time, everything went still. I am frozen in place. The distant footsteps pacing across the pack ceased in movement. The current flow interrupted.

As if in an instant time suddenly stopped.

My vision went white.

I am… back?

I gasp for breath realizing that am back on the ice!! How? In the middle of barren Arctic wilderness, albeit, but back and dry on land...

The gentle snowfall from before stopped in midair. I am dry and yet feel no sense of warmth or cold. My breath leaves no cloud of condensation. All feels numb.

— Wait, there is a figure ahead. I manage to run ahead to it.

“Help!” I cry out, waving my arms in the air and rising to my feet… however I am still able to move is beyond me, but who is my rescuer? Was this who pulled me up from the water?

It was a man in fur coats — an Inuit man.

Wait a moment.

Is that… the Inuit woman - who the lads called Lady Silence - could that really be her father? But wasn’t he…?

“Am I dead?” I exclaim, jaw dropped at such a realization that must be the only explanation to this bizarre surrealism.

“Are you?” The Inuit man inquired in return.

The fact that he could speak and that I could understand him was even more surprising. “I can understand you…?”

“Do you understand yourself?” he tilted his head at me.

I frown in silence, utterly flummoxed. “Why do you answer my questions with further questions?”

He merely shrugged.

“I must be dreaming…” In frustration I let out a sigh and shake my head, a hand raised to politely dismiss myself. “If you’ll excuse me—“ I am through with this madness. I must find my way back to this ships, somehow, somewhere —

** _Roar._ **

When I turned away to make my heading, I was met face to face with that monstrous bear again. Its face right up to me, huffing and lowly growling at me...

“Ah! No, not you again!” I scramble backward in the opposite direction before it can clench its jaws on me - back towards the other man. “We must get out of here!”

Lady Silence’s father did not move and stopped me in my tracks. “You do not see?”

“Of course I see,” I reply exasperatedly questioning either his or my own sanity now, “that beast is going to kill me a second time if I don’t get out of here!”

“If it wanted to, it would have already done so. But it did not.”

“_Come again?_” This couldn’t possibly get any stranger. The bear had approached closer as I stared in the moment of what I dreaded would be a repeat of what had just happened before. But instead, it continued to stare at me between the motionless snowfall. It’s nostrils heaving with the cold Arctic air.

“You see, **Iglaak***…” my attention turned to Lady Silence’s father again as he continued, “You have offset the balance of these lands and of the Tuunbaq.”

“What now?” my brow furrows, but he remains composed, but his placid expression turns downcast.

“**_And,_** you have treated us barbarically. To me. And to my daughter. When neither I nor my daughter had done anything to you. Not I nor my people would have treated you and your men as such, and yet you and your men return unkindness.”

A jolt of guilt grew upon my face as my sense of entitled confusion turned to self-reflection. My stomach writhed as the trickling ice flow of remorse gathered. My eyes cast downwards, hands folding. There was... certainly more than one decision I had made in those past months that I have long come to regret. Both recently, and since Beechey Island.

“I’m…” Now I could barely find my voice. The mistakes of yonder returned. The fiasco at Van Diemen’s Land. The expedition of 1819... the lives lost and endangered from my human error all while under my command, and now — “I’m so very terribly, terribly sorry. For both my deeds and those done by my men which I take ownership of. — I know that that’s hardly enough to amend my mistakes… and,” just say it already you old dog, “and my hubris of reckless ill-judgment that’s already costed both me and others, more than I wanted to acknowledge, but acknowledge it I shall.” and as I looked to the other man, now with nothing more to gain or lose, I asked myself what did pride mattered in the end once everything was gone? “I’m sorry for the harm that was caused you. and — I was wrong, and while I can try to say I did try, it is no excuse to my folly and — and if there is anything I can do - what little I can do now, if it is not too late, I will do my best to make amends.” 

He crossed his arms as I finished, staring at me.

And then there was a long silence between us, only the huffs of the great bear were heard. Suppose that was close to an accepted apology I was going to get, if I can even think it such. To be honest, I did not blame him. The longer I reflected, the harder I felt it to forgive myself.

Out of a small pouch, he took out some seal meat. I was so lost in thought I did not even see him cut a slide and offer it until the bear nudged me in the back.

“Then fix it, you must.”

I stared between the seal meat and the bear with a gaze of surprise and confusion. After everything that I did?

I shook my head, hesitant and shameful, but he slowly nodded persisting. I finally saw the hint of a grin and the seal meat gestured to me again.

“Now it is you who must forgive yourself, and act on it.”

“Thank you…” I return a half-smile as we share a simple, good meal. Fortunately, I was not entirely empty-handed - the small stash of chocolates I had in my coat pockets were still there - and I was able to give those to him.

As we ate and conversed I continued to look towards the white bear with trepidation. That any moment this seemingly peaceful moment of discussing the beauty of the Arctic and the polar opposite worlds we come from but similarities shared in being fathers and husbands would turn to a nightmare again. But it did not.

The bear did seem rather more intelligent than I was giving it credit for the longer I was around it in much more of a non-life-threatening setting. “I didn’t quite catch the name the bear was called … it’s called the two.. what was that again?”

“Tuunbaq” Nanouk - as I learned to be the name of Silna’s father - Lady Silence’s father, that is - answered casually.

“Toon-bach?”

Nanouk continued to laugh at my difficulty in pronunciation. (And so did the bear too, it seemed.) Eventually, I caught on.

We continued to converse for what begun to feel like hours, but the sun did not move, nor did the snow. And neither did the Tuunbaq either surprisingly.

“You see, Iglaak, because of what your deeds, the Tuunbaq is both without a human guardian or successor. And it must always have a guardian.”

**“**I see…”

“Fortunately for you, Tuunbaq says it seems to find something redeemable in you, now that it has avenged me.”

I was left aghast, “You mean, you can understand it?”

“You travelers ask too many questions.” Nanouk shook his head, handing a bit of seal meat to the Tuunbaq, and petting the side of it’s face. The bear nuzzled his head and sat beside us. “Now you must continue where I have left off.”

“I … what now?” I open my mouth to object, but one glance from the bear stops me. “How can I possibly guard - let alone tame a mammoth bear? I told you what it did to me! And Lieutenant Gore and Sergeant Bryant!”

“Tuunbaq _must_ always have a guardian,” Nanouk repeated. He then reached into the pocket of his fur hood and pulled out two small carvings and hands them to me. One was in the shape of a man, the other of a bear.

“Are these going to help?”

“If you don’t want them, give them back.”

“No-no! No need for that—”

“Then it helps.” He grinned.

I ponder the significance of the carvings to the Tuunbaq as my thumb traces the crevices and details of their craftsmanship. Regardless, I still appreciate them as a token gesture of newfound unexpected friendship, and with a nod and “Thank You.” I tuck them into my inner vest pocket.

“Franklin,” Nanouk calls out to get my attention as he rises to his feet, speaking more seriously now. “Your life is attached to the life of Tuunbaq. You live, it lives. It dies, you will wander the Arctic in exile until you also die.”

But wait, weren’t we already dead...?

Perhaps it is better to dismiss all logic by this point.

He offered a hand to get me back up on my feet, which I accepted gladly - only for him to pull me to extend my hand to the Tuunbaq. “— What are you doing!?” I begin to panic, for fear of its teeth which I can begin to raise into a snarl. Before what I sensed would be the bear biting my hand clean off, I draw away. “With all due respect - are you out of your mind?”

“You mustn’t fear it anymore. It will react to your fear. Now, again.”

“I won’t.” I object logically, but also in indirect confession to underlying fear I still had.

“You must.” Nanouk stared at me sternly, “Then if you cannot do it for yourself, do it for those you care about. As if you could see them all again, right now. As if the fate of your men count on you.”

My brow furrows in confusion, but it would be impossible to not begin thinking about those I care for at the slightest mention. I didn’t know how much time had now passed since coming to this bizarre Arctic with Nanouk, but the thoughts and longing for over two years of not seeing Janie, Eleanor, and Sophy were warm enough to metaphorically bring summer to this eternal winter land. I felt a strange sense of hope - explorers are made of nothing but it after all. And then the thoughts of the lads aboard the ships that were dear as sons to me, and felt a semblance of courage.

Without another thought, I approach the Tuunbaq closer, and extend my hand towards it once more.

It looks to me cautiously, snorting through its nostrils, before extending it’s head closer sniffing me. After a swallow, I firmly rest my palm on it’s muzzle.

Neither the Tuunbaq nor I recede.

Slowly I break into a surprised grin and continue to pet the snowy white fur of it’s face. Up close I can now see the years of battle scars scattered across it’s face. Truly how ancient this creature is. I can feel the soft warmth against my hand and the movement of it’s breathing now growing less tense as I begin to pet it. It lowly rumbles before nudging it’s large head against my chest.

Perhaps up close it wasn’t so ferocious after all...?

I look back to Nanouk proudly at our accomplishment. He returns an approving nod.

“Leverage your responsibility carefully. You must be with the Tuunbaq at all times. You know what it is like caring for young children, you must do the same for Tuunbaq. You also know how to respect those superior to you. Tuunbaq does not like when it’s intelligence is insulted. There is no more to say.”

“Understood.” I nod back to the Tuunbaq. This would take some getting used to, but perhaps this could be the start to a friendship amongst the three of us.

“Guard well, Franklin.”

I turn in surprise to see Silna’s father having walked off a far distance “Nanouk, Wait!” I call out for him, waving an arm, “Where are you going?”

I call his name more times, but he does not turn. Can he not hear me?

A gust of wind picks up as I try and follow after him. But like a mirage in this frozen desert, he vanished into the Arctic snow.

Then looking behind me, I see the Tuunbaq also leaving in the opposite direction. _No, not you too!_

The snowfall gives way to gravity again as it falls down as it normally would. It falls heavier and faster, increasing in velocity until it sweeps my entire vision into a whiteout. 

* * *

**Iglaak******* (Inuit word for “stranger” or “traveler”.) [[source](https://library.alaska.gov/hist/hist_docs/docs/anlm/200078.pdf)]

**Nanouk*** (Inuit name. “Nanouk is a variant of Nanuq, which means polar bear.”) [google]


	2. New Bearings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sir John’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day may not be so bad after all in this crack divergent AU where bear befriends man. A silly story that originated from an iPhone autocorrect note, with a few feels/angst moments too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: This is purely crack and fiction, loosely based on the AMC TV show the Terror S1 with anecdotes from history. Again, this is a boatload of silliness and shenanigans involving a more bear-like Tuunbaq ahead! Enjoy.
> 
> Author’s Note: In my story, the Tuunbaq appears more like the extinct prehistoric “Short-Faced bear”, ancient, battle-worn, and ferocious, but still a little cuddlier.
> 
> Author’s Note 2: The whole concept of this came from an autocorrect typo that will be revealed in Chapter 3.
> 
> Author’s Note 3: This was originally going to be a one-shot, but now since coming up with the prologue and the more crack ideas I have in store, this will be multi-chapter!

When the snow clears, I find myself staring at the vastness of ice… from behind a makeshift sail tent? My vision, while still blurry and slowly coming to focus hears other voices.

“Sir, why don’t you sit with us? Perhaps it can be you who fires the first shot that convinces it.”

And another voice joins in.

“At least be here to see it felled.”

As my vision returns to clarity, I see before me Sergeant Tozer and Private Heather. Mister Goodsir with his Dageurotype camera just a little off and…

“Sir?” I look into the living face of Sergeant Bryant, staring at me with a kind look.

_What is this madness?!_

My eyes widen in shock - am I dreaming? Surely I must be dreaming, I’ve lived this all before - this nightmare cannot be happening for a second time!

I rush outside the tent canvas, the bait of dead rats hanging by their tails in front of me like some sick metaphor for what we all were. I turn around to stare up at above our hideout tent, and sure enough see the Tuunbaq staring over it… hungrily.

“_No!_”

I shout raw from my throat as I see the Tuunbaq bob into the tent to pull out Sergeant Bryant.

”Tuunbaq!! Stop!!” No, no! Here we go again!

The Tuunbaq stared at me with a low growl and ceases motion. I am almost moved to tears._ Please, not again. _My hand extending towards him as though I feel as if I am about to die now from a heart attack. I race closer to the giant bear, my other hand now extended to the terror-stricken marines aiming their rifles. “No, men, don’t shoot! Don’t shoot it! Hold your fire!”

“— Tuunbaq…” I call out, warningly. “Put him down. Release him, **_now_**.”

After the expanse of some seconds that felt like hours, the Tuunbaq gently released Sergeant Bryant from its mouth. Bryant scrambled to the other men who raised their rifles at the bear again.

“I said, don’t shoot!” I repeated, as I watched their brave faces fill with trepidation and confused horror. “I will handle this!”

_Or at least I will die again trying to protect them._

The Tuunbaq and I held a long look as I stepped closer, with each footprint swallowing more fear and panic. “I won’t let anyone hurt you. Please, calm — down. Tuunbaq.” I whisper assuringly, “You will be alright, I promise you, there is… nothing to fear, or attack right now. Listen to me…” 

It’s heavy breathing begun to quell. It’s deadly flash of what I could only call vengeful bloodlust in its eyes calm. Until I realized something — it **_recognized_** me.

With this sudden awareness, I place my hand against my chest, feeling the pressures of between the fabrics that where was, in fact, something in my vest pocket still. That really did all happen, didn’t it?

I then gesture Tuunbaq to come closer, peaking at the condition of the other men in the distance, before watching the movements of the bear in front of me, now begin to approach. It’s heavy paws crunching ice and snow under them.

“That’s it, Tuunbaq. Come on. Closer. I promise I’m not going to hurt you… trust me.”

The mammoth polar bear now stood in front of me, rearing to his haunches. My eyes widen. I step back as it stomps back down, but then find it nuzzling its muzzle against my hands. My face fills with relief as I begin to pet its head.

“Good to see you again too,” I whisper to it before waving to my men, signaling peace. “All’s well, men!”

While Goodsir was tending to Sergeant Bryant and wiping off bear slobber, Sergeant Tozer exchanged a look to Private Heather as they watched the Tuunbaq react to me like an oversized dog.

“Didn’t know that Sir John was _a bear whisperer_…!”

—

As we quietly departed the tent and discarded the rat bait, I was greeted by Commander Fitzjames rushing over with a band of armed men and looks of concern.

“What has happened?!” James panted, coming to a halt as he stared down the Tuunbaq, who now was walking by my side, briefly stammering from the shock “I— I heard screaming.”

Lieutenant Le Vesconte stood not afar off behind him and could hardly believe his eyes. “Is that not the same bear that was commanded to be… _hunted_, Sir?”

“Not hunting it, Lieutenant. Simply _luring_ it…” I felt bloody awful for lying, knowing full well how bad at it I am (Janie can attest to that), “So that… I would be able to approach it while also keeping at a safe distance away from it for our protection. This is no ordinary bear, as you well now know, and can see.”

Surprisingly enough they reluctantly believed me.

I did, however, notice James searchingly look at me, which I return a warm grin at him. He straightened, lowering his weapon seeing my calmness. I’m sure he was wondering how I managed to accomplish such a feat. (I’ve been asking myself that this whole while, too.) “Then I wonder what sort of bear this is, Captain, for it to have made an ally with you.”

“There are many strange wonders in these lands,” I reply swiftly.

Tozer and the marines exchange a look. A look that didn’t go unobserved by myself - I’ve dealt with raising children long enough to catch on to little silent exchanges.

So I approach our polar friend once more, patting its head as if we were greeting Neptune aboard Terror, and then I turned to address the group at large.

“Men. While this may have started off troublesome, notably with Sergeant Bryant whom I promise shall not occur again… I shall be expecting all of your cooperation in this matter. I have already myself clear that my attestation isborne out of my own experience. — I’ve encountered far stranger and far worse things in these lands some twenty years ago beyond your wildest imaginings. Our bear friend may very well be staying with us for the long haul - if it wishes, given how unpredictable Arctic creatures are. Today, we shall count ourselves fortunate to have made allies with the untamable force of these lands. Is that understood?”

There was a large exclamation of, “Aye, Sir!”

Good. Either we were truly fortunate, or have all gone mad. Let us hope for the former.

—

When we had approached closer to the ships, I could see Francis lower his spyglass from Terror. And even be it from a distance, the look on Francis’ face as I walked back to the ships with a giant bear freely walking beside me was utterly priceless.

“Don’t you worry about him.” I whispered assuringly to Tuunbaq - who while watching Francis carefully -or perhaps Mr. Blanky beside him - appeared to be listening to me, “It’s only here in the Arctic that Francis is so melancholic. Share a drink with him in the company of Mr. Blanky, or were you ever to visit our home in London, you will discover him to be at least somewhat more chipper.”

Getting the bear aboard the deck was easy enough. Aiding it below deck, was another story.

As it were, it wasn’t going to be easy having a massive bear aboard an already close-confined ship.

Fitzjames and Le Vesconte exchanged a look before the latter quietly inquired.

“Do we actually intend in bringing that bear below deck, Sir?”

“Until we find a better idea.” I shrug.

In hindsight, it wasn’t the wisest decision I made. Tuunbaq could hardly fit going down the stairs, and the sheer amount of tons the creature weighed broke all the top steps. (At least it gave John Weekes something to do besides making ornamental carvings to pass the time).

“Guess you’ll have to stay up here on the deck and keep watch, friend. You and the lads can keep each other company during the watch hours.”

I smile at the bear, as Mr. Wall brings up a plate of some of the Golder’s canned beef cheek stew that’s been emptied into a broad bucket. He places the bucket on the deck and all but runs back to his kitchens.

I then proceed to place the bucket closer to the Tuunbaq, “It might not be the seal meat you’re used to, but I hope that it will do, in case you've worked yourself up an appetite.”

Tuunbaq appeared to rather enjoy it. Although he was more interested in sniffing my coat pockets.

“No, Tuunbaq, I’m afraid you can’t have chocolates.” I shirk away, before returning a gentle scolding expression, “I’ve been informed these aren’t any good for your kind, prehistoric, or otherwise.“

When I then buried my hands in said pockets. At least… there were chocolates in there earlier that day. I blinked as this only confirmed that the encounter with Nanouk indeed happened.

“See? Empty.” I pull out a pocket to show to Tuunbaq, before contemplating further about the mystery how this all could even be possible. Was Nanouk’s daughter Silna still aboard Terror? What else could have changed since I was gone and returned to what clearly seemed to be the past?

“—Captain?”

I turn and see Fitzjames and Ice Master Reid arrive - the latter with a look of terror and wonder at the bear.

“Well oi’ve never— in arl me years, Mister Jems — arl me years.“

“Quite so, Mr. Reid.” Fitzjmes glances at the Tuunbaq cautiously as it resumes eating from the bucket. “How is the, ah, Tuunbaq bear faring, Captain? Well, I suppose?”

“I’d say so indeed.” I grin, folding my hands “Goldner’s must have done a fine job that even our Arctic Ambassador doesn’t seem to mind it.”

They all laughed and proceeded to inform me of other updates and the state of the ice. Meanwhile, the Tuunbaq turned around and hopped off the ship.

“Tuunbaq?” My head turned as I heard the wood creek suddenly before it leaped. “Tuunbaq!” I chase after it to the edge of the deck, “Just where do you think you’re going?” Fitzjames, Mr. Reid and I follow it by hurrying back towards the stern. Only we still have limited visibility from the railings.

“It hasn’t run off, has it?” I inquire with the utmost concern. It hasn’t even been my first day as guardian, and now this happened?

By Fitzjames’ urging, Mr. Collins hopped onto the rope ladders to watch where the bear was going.

“It stopped at the ice just at the stern, sir!” Mr. Collins called out.

“Good.” I sigh in relief, looking up at him, “Doing what?”

“Nothing, sir. Just circling the ice around that area. Climbing, I suppose.”

“Climbing?”

“We can probably get a better look from the cabin windows.” Fitzjames suggested.

“Excellent idea, James! Come along.”

Fitzjames trailed close behind, Mr. Reid remaining above deck with Mr. Collins if in case the bear decided to move again.

As we made our way below deck to the hall, curious Fairholme followed, wondering what all the commotion was about.

It was here that we noticed outside the windows of my cabin, our time in the ice had caused some large bergs to form against the back of the ship, forming a sort of ledge. Tuunbaq utilized these to climb up and was waiting by the windows, peering inside the ship.

We were all speechlessly astounded.

“My word…” My eyes widen.

“It’s as if it knew those berg bits had piled up back there.” Fitzjames blinked.

Fairholme’s jaw had practically dropped as he remarked:

“Clever bear…”


End file.
